D'issan Wine Tasting - Vertical tasting

Got ditched by Dad, woo woo...

Originally intended to join D'issan wine dinner, indeed a bit unaffordable on that, wine tasting would be a humble and preferable choice.

The list tonight is:

1. Blason D'issan 2004
2. Blason D'issan 2001
3. Chateau D'issan 2004
4. Chateau D'issan 2001
5. Chateau D'issan 1999

The wine grower, who is also the managing director of Chateau D'issan flying one-third of his year from Finland to other countries, promoting on behalf of D'issan. He gave us a description of how he defines the wine when drinking, I believe his precise description should be from countless times of vertical drink

These 5 drinks do share the same characteristics of spice and oak, smooth tannin and black current flavour. However in terms of finish, fruit flavour, other smell, alcoholic content, potential drinking time, we can distinguish between years and identify differences naturally, they vary and quite distinct in their own style and quality.

1. Blason D'issan 2004
- Black Current, strong spice on palate
- Long finish and aftertaste
- Powerful game and oak aroma

As a 2nd wine, this is really impressive as a start.

2. Blason D'issan 2001
- Same level of spice as year 2004
- Strong punch of fruit, balance, mild wine
- Short finish, not much aftertaste

3. Chateau D'issan 2004
- Strong tannin
- Even spicer than Blason
- Watery, blackcurrant
- disappointed, not as full body as RP's comments.

4. Chateau D'issan 2001
- See a potential after decantage, but it is presented direct from bottle
- Smoother than 2004, and more balanced.
- Stronger fruit and spice
- Still short finish.

5. Chateau D'issan 1999
- The best our of the 3 1st wine.
- More robust in terms of wine structure
- strong tannin and well body balance
- Ready to drink
- Spicer than the other two.
- finish is long, yet shorter compared to Blason '04

Overall I found Blason 2004 in fact is the most impressive among all, unfortunately bearing the brand I am reluctant to spend much as these features could be found elsewhere in cheaper wine. The price offered is quite cheap though compare to those I saw in other cellars yet still marked up.
The wine tasting is really good occassion for you to understand more about how the wine grower thinks and what message they try to conceive through, and it's safer for you to test before buying, rather than blindly chasing for brand names.